Counter stiffener molding machine



J. SPADAFORA 1,856,296 COUNTER STIF'FENER MOLDING MACHINE Filed 28, 1929 1o sheets-sheet 1 May 3,` 1932.

May 3, 1932 .1. SPADAFORA 1,856,296

COUNTER STIFFENER MOLDING MACHINE Fled May 28, 1929 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 QW JMW@ May 3, 1932. n.1. SPADAFORA 1,856,296

COUNTER STIFFENER MOLDING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1929 lO SheeJcS--SheerI 5 May 3, 1932. J. SPADAFORA COUNTER STIFFENER MOLDING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1929 l0 Sheecs-SheecI 4 May 3, 1932- J. SPADAFORA COUNTER STIFFENER MOLDING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1929 10 Sheets-Shea?l 5 Maf;

Mm l w m May 3, 1932. J. SPADAFORA 1,856,296

COUNTER STIFFENE-R MOLDING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1929 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 May 3, 1932- J. SPADAFORA COUNTER STIFFENER MOLDING MACHINE 1o sheets-sheet 7 Filed May 28, 1929 L ...fm

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May'S, 1932. x. sPADAFoRA COUNTER STIFFENER MOLDING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1929 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 May 3 1932 J. SPADAFORA 1,855,295

COUNTER STIFFENER MOLDING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1929 l0 Sheets-Sheet 9 May 3, 1932.

J. SPADAFORA COUNTER STIFFENER MOLDING MACHINE the drawings.

it dwells for a time directly in front of and close to a transfer member as shown in Figs. 13 and 17.

Vhen the picker bar reaches this elevated position with the blank the latter is approximately in a horizontal position with its straight side edge adjacent the fiat face 31 of the transfer member 30. As the blank B is brought into this position a justifying member 33 moves toward the blank and by engagement with the end portions thereof at opposite sides of the spike serves to angularly position the blank on the spike so that its straight edge is parallel with the face 31 of the transfer member 30.

Thereupon a pair of wipers 32 swing upwardly from below the blank and bend the opposite end portions of the latter from the positions shown in Fig. 13 to the positions shown in Fig. 14, the lower end of the picker bar 27 being provided with a laterally arcuate shoe 34 which serves as an abutment form around which the blank is bent by the wipers 32.

Vhen the opposite end portions of the blank B are bent upwardly and inwardly by the wipers 32 as shown in Fig. 14, said end portions are brought to bear against the opposite sides of a pair of pusher fingers 35 which immediately descend carrying the blank downwardly with them into a position where its bent middle portion rests upon, and between, a pair of supporting rolls 36, this downward movement of the blank obviously freeing the latter from the spike of the picker bar 27.

As the blank is moved downwardly by the pusher fingers 35 another pusher member 37 moves toward and against the blank so as to shove the latter edgewise rearwardly against the vertical flat face 31 of the transfer member 30.

A pair of gripper members 38, Figs. 17

. and 18, immediately thereafter clamp the opposite end portions of the blank against a pair of lugs 39 provided upon the face 31 of the transfer member 30. i

As soon as the grippers 38 close in against the blank the transfer member 30 starts to move bodily horizontally toward the right, Figs. 1 and 18, to deliver the blank to the molding mechanism which is at the rear of the machine and at the right of Fig. 1 of As the transfer member makes this movement from its blank-receiving position shown in Fig. 17 to its blankdelivering position shown in Fig. 1, it is rotated in a clockwise direction, Fig. 1, to the extent of 18()O and this rotary movement I of the transfer member is completed before the transfer member reaches the limit of its movement toward the right, so that as its movement toward the right is completed the .i blank is shoved edgewise into the `female mold of the molding mechanism.

Shortly after the transfer member 30 arrives at the position shown in Fig. 1 the grippers 38 are opened and said transfer member is moved bodily back toward the left and simultaneously rotatively adjusted so that at the compl-etion of this return movement toward the left it again occupies the position shown in Fig. 17 preparatory to receiving the next blank.

Immediately upon arrival of the transfer member 80 at the molding mechanism as shown in Fig. 1, the operation of said mechanism is started and the blank is molded. Upon completion of the molding operation the finished counter stiifener is ejected from the machine by means of an arm 40 that is suitably controlled and operate-d as will be described presently.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the parts are shown inthe positions they occupy at the start of each cycle of the machine as out lined in Fig. 25.

The machine herein shown includes a. con,- tinuously actuated main drive shaft 41, Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 8, having fixed thereon a pulley 42 adapted to be engaged by a belt, not shown, through which power is supplied. Shaft 41 also has lixed thereon a pinion 48 driving a gear 44 fast on a main cam shaft 45. The gears 43 and 44 have a ratio of 4 to 1 so that the main cam shaft 45 is rotated once for each four revolutions of the main drive shaft 41. Therefore during each cycle of the machine shaft 41 makes four revolutions and shaft 45 makes one revolution.

At one end thereof the main drive. shaft 41 carries a crank arm 46 to which is pivotally connected the lower end of a push rod 47. The push rod 47 extends upwardly through ears or lugs provided upon the outer side of a yoke 48, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, through which said rod is free at times to slide endwise. The yoke 48 has a hub portion that is fixed upon one end of a spindle 49 rotatably mounted in a forked bearing provided at the extremity of one of the arms of a lever 50.

This lever 50 is fulcrumed at 51 on the frame of the machine and its other arm is connected by a link 52, Figs, 1, 2, 4 and 8 with a flange-molding slide 53 mounted in ways provided on a main slide 54. The main slide 54 has rigidly fixed to its rear side an apertured bracket arm 55 slidably mounted upon a vertically disposed guide rod 56 fixedly mounted on the frame of the machine. The frame of the machine includes a cross-bar 57, Figs. 4, 6 and 8 with which the guide rod 56 is connected and against the front side of which the main slide 54 is fitted and held by said guide rod 56.

The supplemental flange molding slide 53 operates upon the heel seat flange of the counter stiifener while the main slide 54, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 carries the female brained at, l'l on the traine olf the machine.

the other arin o;A this bell cranh di?. carriers a cani roll Si coo peratiun with a ani 65 'tast on the inain cani ehatt i5. 'lhrougrh the oonnrrtmns juist deaeribed the 11min slide is yieldingfiy u d downwardly once during eueh cyrle the niaehine 'while the puel rod #Ll-:l ie r 'procured endwise four times.

lllnane 'is provided whereby two ot 'these reeiprocations ot' the pueh rod l? are aused 539 to be eti'eetirc so to reeiproeate the suppleinental thingie inoldin ide twice and to rentner two oit the reeiproeatory 1noyeuirnts ol the poeh rod idle or inelliective to o peratc Said supple nental slide Thus E5 dni-hin' nach c y'" it the machine the nmin elide 5ft is reirproe; ted onee while the snpplenicntal 7. is rrciprocated twice.

,llze ineens just reterred to for oontrol- Y a o et the ouah rod lil" on 'the snpim 1 in'. a pair ot dogs *(36,

i" Lgg.: their upper ende pirotally non i. ed the yolze d8. Internledate their e GG are cnnnected by a npringr (S23 whi v'nn/ly ur the l ends oil" time fr waill the v ,"i rod the doge GG, and eoit are provided o eoope 'atewith acollai70,Figs. that iff; lined rigidly to the push T. 'izpou the hmV near the hr, l ahoolders $9 l. ti and r) en ll ornnh eone or ie.

carries a am roll cooper. ti ,r upon one ind ol? a nhait 755 iournalled n bem-infra 1, 'lil noon the 'J' f. f' L machine. The :aha Td carries Verl 'i'l eminecterl hy z ehain t wheel ill 'feat on the linnn haoed and timed shouldn "s MBT."

(fili rpulled dor-.rn to the .i Y i he r ita-.tion ot fallait ---l.

dogs G6 will be pulled toward each other hy the spring' 68, and when the collar 70 reaches the limit of its downward movement the shoulders G9 will occupy positions directly above said collar. A stop collar 82 fixed on the push bar 417 near the upper end thereof engages the yoke 4.8 during the downward nloreinent of the posh rod to swingr the lever in a direction to 'aifse the 'flange molding slide 58.

During); the next two successive upward movements ot the push rod 4:7 the Collar 70, through engagement with the shoulders 69, nots through the dogs GG, yolze i8 and spindle iil) to vibra te the lever 50 thereby reciprocating the ilangc bendiini` :slide 53 twice. Alfter the second recipro V:ation oi? slide 53, the cam 7i' acts through the connections described to restore the wedee or cani .73 to its ripper operative position again so that during the third revolution ot shaft fil, and while push rod Ll? is descending, the cani or wedge 73 occupies its' el fated operative position and serves to spread apart the downwardly descending dons titi thereby disengaging theiil shoulders (if) troni the collar 70. lt will therefore be clear that du 'ingr the tiret and fourth revohu tiene ot shaft itl of cach Cycle of the niiaehine the lever 50 and slide 53 remain at rest, while d urine` tl e second and third revolutions the lever 50 is (nierated to 'reciprocate the slide 53.

The rear arni of the lever 5() is provided with a weigrht 83 which is sufficient to hold the slide 53 elevated when the dogs 66 are disengagged from the collar 70.

The counter stitlener forming or molding mechanism includes a :female mold comprising: a pair oi jaws or mold sections S4, pivotally interlooled by a pintle 85 and fitting ilatwise against a depending' skirt 0r wall 86 that is part of the niain slide ii. Each jaw Si is pivotally connected with one end of a tonele link 87 whose opposite end is pivotallt connected with the slide 54s and haa abutting engagement therewith. '.lhese two tonele linke nornially eupport the two liaws Si in position on the slide 54.. said toggle links uornmlly resting); by gravity against two adjiuetable stops 88 mounted on said slide. Springs 89 interposed between the jaws 84 and a ledge or shoulder on slide 5st yieldinn'ly urge the two awe down vardly and apart and hold theni in their separated relationship.

The male ineinber ot the Stiil'ene molding mechanism shown at 90. Fins. 4l. (L 8 and l0. s: id member beine` a heel-shaped Inet-al block having a dependino; shank seated upon the held 91 ot a screw QQ eaid shank havinga hase portion extending; laterally 'forward and tante-,ned to one end oit a rock sha-'lit 93 ieinnalled in bearings provided on the head lfhe screw 92 carries a eapstan uut 914i re 'init or seated upon a third lower slide 9o lli) vided on the cross-bar 56 that is part of the frame of the machine.

To the rear side of the lower portion of the slide 95 are pivotally connected, at opposite sides of said slide, two links 97, Figs. 8 and 10, and the lower end of each of these links is pivotally connected to a lever arm 98 loosely fulcrumed on a cross-bar 99 forming part of the frame of the machine. Each lever arm 98 carries a cam roll 100 cooperating with a cam 101.

The two cams 101 are fast on a shaft 102 journalled in bearings on the frame of the machine and connected at one end with the main cam shaft by sprockets 103 and a chain 104, Figs. 1 and l. rllhe two sprockets 103 are of the same size and therefore the supplemental cam shaft 102 is rotated in unison with the main cam shaft 45, in the same direction and at the same speed. During the rotation of shaft 102, which occurs once during each cycle of the machine, the lever arms 98, links 97 and slide 95 are raised and lowered, said slide being raised at the start of the cycle and lowered at the conclusion of the cycle.

During each lowering movement of the slide 95, the male member 90 of the forming mechanism is swung laterallyT on the aXis of the rock shaft 93, toward the left in Figs. 1 8 and 10. thereby to partially remove the molded stilfener from the female section of the mold, and also to bring the molded stiffener into cooperative relationship with the ejector mechanism presently to be described which includes the arm 40 referred to above.

To eect this lateral swing of the male member 90 during the downward stroke of slide 95, the rock shaft 93 is provided adjacent one end thereof with an arm 105 which is free to swing on said rock shaft 93 in one direction to a limited extent but which, when moved in the opposite direction, has abutting engagement with a shoulder on a collar 106 fast on said rock shaft 93. A spring 10'? whereof one end is connected with the arm 105 and the other end with a collar fast on rock shaft 93, normally and yieldingly holds the arm 105 at the limit of its movement toward the left, Figs. 8 and 10, with said arm in abutting engagement with the shoulder on collar 106.

At its free end the arm 105 carries a cam roll 108 to cooperate with a cam track 109 fixed on the frame of the machine, and when the slide 95 is moved vertically, this cam roll passes behind cam 109 into a position above the latter so that during the upward movement of slide 95 the arm 105 is swung idly in one direction independently of rock shaft 93.

During the downward movement of slide 95 the fixed cam 109 acts to swing arm 105 in the opposite direct-ion thereby rocking the shaft 93 and tilting the male member 90 outwardly as above referred to. Thus in moving upward the cam roll 108 passes idly behind the fixed cam 109 and in moving downward it passes in front of said cam, the passage of the roll downward in front of cam 109 operating through the arm 105 and rock shaft 93 to tilt the male molding member 90 outwardly to a slight extent. riChat is, this outward tilting movement imparted to the male molding member 90 is not sufficient to move the center of gravity thereof outwardly beyond the axis of the rock shaft 93 so that as soon as the cam roll 108, moving downwardly with the slide 95, passes the fixed cam 109 the male molding member 90 falls by gravity back into its normal position where it is resting upon the head of the screw 911.

The slide 95 carrying the male member 90 is raised at the start of the cycle of the machine and automatically locked and rigidly supported in this elevated position by an abutment member 110 pivotally mounted upon a cross-bar 111 forming part of the vframe of the machine, so that its upper end can be swung into and out of position beneath the lower end of the slide 95. Immediately after the start of the cycle of the machine the slide 95 is raised by the cams 101 and a cani 112 fast on the main cam shaft acts through a lever 113 and link 11i to swing the abutment member 110 from its inoperative position shown in Fig. 8 upwardly into its operative position as shown in F ig. 10 where its upper end is under the slide 95. Immediately thereafter the cams 101 permit the slide 95 to move down into a position where it rests on abutment 110 and where it dwells for about one-half of a revolution of shaft 45.

After the slide 95 has been thus locked in its uppermost position by the abutment, the main upper slide 54 is lowered and the two jaws 84, Figs. 4- and 5, carried thereby move down at each side of the male member 90 and come to rest upon the stiifener blank that is then in position between the male member and the ylhe downward and inward molding pressure exerted by the two jaws 8-1 which tends to force the male member 90 and its slide 95 downwardly is opposed by the abutment member 110 which then provides a rigid and unyielding support for the male member 90 and its slide.

During the last half of the revolution of the main cam shaft l5 the cam 65 acts through the connections described to raise the main slide 5st whereupon the cams 101 move the lower slide 95 upward slightly while the cam 112 permits a weight 115. Fig. 1, to swing the abutment 110 outwardly toward the left into its inoperative position shown in Fig. 8 and then as the shaft Ll5 completes its revolution, the two cams 101 permit the slide 95 to move down into its lowermost position shown in Fig. 8.

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The weight 115 is connected with the abut ment 110 by a wire cable or the .like 11GA which extends ugwardljT from the weight to which one end is astiened, around a shear/e 11i' to the abutment llliowhich its opposite end is nl.

@n the :mi i ol slide nl, ififw are pix'otaij nro'untel two bei nk lever.`-` Zlib. one oi? which is disposed alongs :ie of web jaw oi the female mold member. lilneh bell Ifram.; i lill an upwardij' extending arm ce ne au antiiriction roll 119 'to coojlerate in the outer side oi the adjacent jaw and with a laterali;7 and down- :ailing arm ifi), to cooperate with j VAeldfno' abutment 125. iii if and `wo o1' which are. provided on tue lower .siiile 95.

lllach a nd i3,

abutment 121 includes as a part a head seated upon inn; mounted A i provideiil in ijecting latlower end porti-on oi. the slide harina" a stom or shank pon lion li topically into the upper end its spring.

lllben' the. impermain slide 5i is at the upward movement and the slide "1" .'t the limit oi" its downward inloven. the arms 120 ot bell cranks 118 :re l, "i ont oi Contact with the yielding abutmeni's 121. but when the lower slide 95 is raised and locked in its elevated; positiom W the allotments 121 engage the arms 120 therebjr 'iorcin the anti,t'iiction rolls 119 against the outer sides ot the jaws and cansingi,` the loi er L, in 'forcibly against the opposite sides o the stiiiener blank on male member 90. if l'i'iereaiter the downward movement of the main slide 51.1: forces said jaws down against The upper end oi the male member 90 while the s; s lf2 torifibljf prees the jaws Sil [u inwardli against 'the ojibosite sides of the blank. `fin this wayY stiiieneranolding` pres` lied to both the sides and back of Jr blank.

art et the cycle or' the machine the blank that is to be molded is held '(nsier member 30 as to occupyv a poiin the twoqiart female mold mem- L the male mold member 90 its opposite end portions bent downtoward each other, and shortljg7 after oi? the cycle oi the machine the njiinffier jaws F38 are opened so that the inherent i'esiliencjr of the blank Atends to spread said opposite end portions apart against the inner sides or surfaces of the two jaws Ell. in order to cause the jaws Si to hold the blank in this posi ion against displacement betere the abolire, ion oi the moldirrgl presmoreg the pintle 853 nj' 'which the two jaws 84: j, are blvotalljf interlocked extended beyond the rear sides oi the latter as shown in Fig.

Sto cooperate with an adjustable abutment screw 1211, occupying a threaded aperture at the top of the rear portion of slide 95,. said abutment screw being` adjusted` and set so that as the two slides 54 and 95 are moved relatively toward each other near the start. of the cycle oi the machine, said screw lllyby ef agement with the pintle 'pin 85,. swings tl two jaws 811 inwardly against the pressure oi the springs S9, said jaws upon the lower ends oi the toggleI links'87, 'with the result that the dcpendingportions er' the jaws 81 are swung. inwardly against the tportions ot the sti `tiener blank thereby clamping the blank in position against accidental displacement before the full side inoldingW pressure o'ii said jaws is occasioned bjr the. engagement oi the arms 1Q() with the abutments 121.

The. bell cranks 118 are swung on their pivots by engagement of the arms 120 thereof with the abutments 121 to transmit side molding pressure to the jaws 811, andas the two slides are moved apart at the conclusion oil" the molding operation, each bell` crank 118 swam;` in the opposite direction by ,f rravitj1 into position against a. stop 125.

The skirt or back plate 86 ormingpart oi the slide 54 formed at its middle with a vertical slot 126, Fig. 5, thatisoecupiedby the rear portion of the pintle 85 and which also occupied by a narrow vertical stemlike portion oi the slide 9F as shown in Figs. (3, S and 10.

Each stop 88 is a member pivotally mounted upon the skirt 86 and made with two arms, one oi? which engages its toggle link 87. The other arm of each member 88 is cooperative'- ly disjjxosed with relation to an adjustable abutment screw 127 mounted upon the skirt Sie. By means oit these screws the stops 88 may be nos' yioned to properly cooperate` with their toggle links 87 and to centralize the iiwo-part female mold member.

The blanks which are delivered to the transfer member are taken by the picker 2i' from a stack resting upon a blank support or follower 128,` and( as the blanks are successively removed from this holder'or follower bj the picker said holder is automatically raised step by step' so as to maintain the top of the stack at a predetermined height, so that the spike 29 oi' the picker Q7 will engage the topmost blank each time said picker descends to the limit oi its downward movement.

n stack oi twenty blanks is initially positioned upon the holder 128 and when the last ese removed by the picker, the holder retnrm-xd by one quick mfwementt'o `its lowest `position where its upper end is just below the plane' ot the bottom of thetable 2b, whereupon said table is` automatically` rotated one step in a contra-elockwise direction, li1 11, so as tocarrjT another pile of twenty 1, 1 .12in LS tently replenished at the end of eac'h twenty operations of the picker 27 rihe table 25 is made with apertures 129, which provide passages through one of which the holder 128 rises and falls as described during each period of rest of the table 25.

The bracket 28 includes as a part thereof,

an upwardly extending plate 130, Figs. 13, 2OV and 21, to which the two lower end members 131 of a lazy-tongs structure 132 are pivotally connected as at 133. A spring 134 connecting the free ends of the two members 131 is continuously under tension and yieldingly exerts force upon said members in a direction to extend the lazy-tongs 132. At the upper end of the lazy-tongs 132 the two end members 135 are pivotally connected at 136 to the picker bar 27, so that said spr'ng 134 acting through the lazy-tongs 132 yieldingly urges the picker bar 27 upwardly. Near its upper end the picker bar has connected with it one end of a flexible cable 137 whose opposite end is connected to a slieave 138 compounded with a pinion 139.

Sheave 138 with its pinion 139 is loosely and rotatably mounted upon a cross-bar 140 forming part of the frame of the machine and said pinion is in mesh with a segment lever 141 fulcrumed at 142 upon a bracket 143 forming part of the frame of the machine. lThe lever 141 carries a cam roll 144 that is held against av cam 145 by a spring 146. The cam 145 is fast on a shaft 147 that is continuously driven in a contra-clockwise direction, Fig. 20, as will be presently described, said shaft making one revolution during each cycle of the machine.

rl`he cam 145 operates to swing the lover 141 in one direction to shift the picker bar 127 downwardly against the pull of spring 134, Fig. 21, while said spring, assisted by the spring 146, operates at times to swing the lever 141 in the opposite direct-ion to raise the picker bar 127. In this way the picker bar 127 is raised and lowered in timed relation with the other elements of the machine.

The shaft 147 ljust referred to has fast on it two other cams, Figs. 13, 14 and 16, including a cam 148 for operating the pusher fingers 35 and a cam 149 for operating the pusher member 37.

rl`he pusher fingers 35 are adjustably secured to a carriage 150 slidably mounted on the picker rod 27 below the bracket 28, said slide being yieldingly urged downward by means of a spring 151. This slide is omitted in Fig. 20. The opposite sides of carriage 150 are connected by links, one of which is shown at 152, with a pair of lever arms 153 fast on a rock shaft 154 journalled in a ybracket 155 forming part of the frame of the machine. rlhis rock shaft 154 has fixed to it a third arm 156 carrying a cam roll that is held against the cam 148 by a spring 151.

The pusher 37 is an angular arm fast on a rock shaft 157 j ournalled in bearings on bracket 155 and provided with Van arm 158 carrying a cam roll that is held against the cam 149 by a spring 159.

The shaft 147 also has fixed on it a sprocket wheel 160 connect-ed by a sprocket chain 161, Figs. 1, 14, and 17, with a sprocket wheel 162 fast on a shaft 163 journalled in bearings on the frame of the machine. This shaft 163 which is continuously rotated in a contraclockwise direction, Fig. 17, carries a sprocket wheel 164 connected by a. chain 165 with a sprocket wheel 166, Fig. 4, fast on one end o-f the shaft 7 8 above referred to.

Shaft 163 also carries a cam 167, Fig. 1, engaging a cam roll carried by a lever arm 168 fulcrumed at 169 on the frame of the machine. The lever arm 168 is connected by a cable 17 O with a sheave 171, Figs. 1 and 11, fast on a short horizontal shaft 172 journalled in a bearing on the frame of the machine and to which is also fixed the ejector arm 40. Through the connections described, the cam 167 operates the ejector 40 in timed relation with the movements of the other elements of the machine.

The justifying member 33 by means of which the blank is angularly adjusted on the spike of the picket rod 27, as above described, is adjustably mounted upon a carriage 172, Figs. 1, 13, 14, 15 and 16, slidably mounted upon a rigid bar 173 forming part of the frame of the machine so as to move toward and from the transfer member 30 when the latter occupies its position at the limit of itsV movement toward the picker rod 27. The supporting bar 173 projects laterally from a cross-bar 174 forming part of the frame of the machine and near its free end it has fixed thereon a collar 175 between which and the carriage 172, is arranged a coiled spring 176 that is installed under initial compression so as to yieldingly urge the carriage 172 toward the path of the picker rod 27. The carriage 172 is held against turning on the rod 173 by means of a pin 177 projecting laterally from the carriage loosely through an apertured ear 178 extending downwardly from the cross-bar 174.

To the carriage 172 is connected one end of a cable 179 which extends forwardly around two sheaves 18() and 181 supported by the collar 175, and thence rearwardly around a sheave 182 loosely mounted on the crossbar 174 and thence Ydownwardly and forwardly to a bell crank lever 183, Figs. 1 and wise direction, Fig. 17 and it will be clear that as the slides 210 are moved toward the molding mechanism the spring 220 will rotate shaft 201 and sheave 217 in this clockwise direction, and it will also be clear that as the slides 210 move from the molding mechanism toward the picker rod 27, the cable 218 will actthrough the sheave 217 to rotate the shaft 201 in the opposite direction thereby winding up the spring 220. Rotation of the shaft 201 is limited to exactly 180o by means of a pin or stud 222 projecting` from disc 221 and coojpierating with two stop screws and 224, Figs. 18 and 19.

It will thus be clear that as slides 210 are reciprocated on the rods 202, the cable 218 and spring 220 cooperate to oscillate the shaft 201 and the transfer member 30, the latter being swung around the axis of shaft 201 to the extent of one half of a revolution in a clockwise direction, Fig. 17, while moving from the picker rod 27 toward the molding mechanism and being swung in the opposite direction to the same extent while moving from the molding mechanism toward the picker rod 27.

The diameter of the sheave 217 is made such that during the movement of the transfer member 30 toward the molding mechanism said member completes its rotaryv movement in a clockwise direction justbefore the stiffener blank carried thereby reaches the molding mechanism so that for a short distance near the end of the movement of the slides 210 toward the molding mechanism, the stitfener blank is shoved edgewise in a straight horizontal direction into position within the female mold of said mechanism, while the pin 222 is resting against the stop screw 224.

Also during the movement of the slides 210 toward the picker rod 27, and shortly before said slides reach the limit of their movement in that direction, the pin 222 engages the stop screw 223 so that the last part of the Vmovement of the transfer member toward the picker rod 27 is made in a straight horizontal path. lllhile said transfer' member is traversing this short straight horizontal path the spring 219, Fig. 1, is stretched.

It therefore follows that at the start of the movement of the transfer member toward the molding mechanism with a blank the spring 219 serves to hold the pin 222 against the stop screw 223 until said spring has contracted to its normal condition after which the spring 220, Fig. 18, rotates the transfer member on the aXis of shaft 201 as it travels toward the molding mechanism. Thus the spring 219, as compared with the spring 220, is of predominating strength.

The purpose in imparting a preliminary straight horizontal movement to theY transfer member 30 as it moves away from the picker rod 27 at the start of its travel toward thev molding mechanism is to shift the blank B away from the lower end of the picker rod so that when the transfer member starts upon its swing over the shaft 201 said blank will not strike the lower end of the picker rod. The purpose of the short straight horizontal movement of the transfer member 30 effected at the conclusion of the movement thereof toward the transfer mechanism is to cause the blank to be shoved edgewise into position within the female mold.

The grippers 38, Fig. 18, are closed on to the blank as the transfer member 30 is about to start upon its movement toward the molding mechanism and said grippers are opened to free the blank as said transfer member is about to start upon its movement back toward the picker rod 27.

The means for thus operating the grippers 38 includes the sleeve 203, referred to above, to the outer end of which is fixed a pair of diametrically opposite arms 225 and 226 carrying cam rolls 227 and 227e, respectively.

Adjacent the outer end of the sleeve 203 is a horizontal shaft 228 jonrnalled near its opposite ends in bearings on the frame of the machine, and at its rear end this shaft 228 is connected by mitre gears 229, Figs. 1 and Ll, with the lower end of a short vertical shaft 230 also iournalled in a bearing on the frame of the machine. At its upper end the shaft 230 is connected by mitre gears 231 with the shaft 78 before referred to and it will therefore be clear that shaft 228 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 13.

On the shaft 228 are fixed two cam arms 232 and 233 cooperating, respectively, with the rolls 227 and 2276i.

lVh-en the transfer member 30 reaches the limit of its movement toward the picker rod 27 the roll 227 occupies a position horizontally opposite the shaft 228 and within the path of the cam arm 232. Thereafter just as the transfer member is about to start on its travel toward the molding mechanism said cam arm 232 engages the roll 227 and acts through arm 225, sleeve 203, arm 204 and links 205 and 20G, to close the grippers 38 on to the blank. lt therefore follows that when the transfer member reaches the limit of its movement toward the molding mechanism as indicated by dotted lines Fig. 17, the reversal of the transfer member 30, made during its travel in this direction, places the cam roll 227@ horizontally opposite the shaft 228 Vand directly in the path of the other cam armV 233. he cam arm 233 is timed to engage the cam roll 227@ just at the start of the movement of the transfer member 30 toward the picker rod 27 and when it thus engages said roll it acts through arm 226, sleeve 203, arm 204: and links 205 and 206, to open the gripper members 38 so as to free roo the blanlz and leave the latter within the :temale mold The Stack 'from which the blanke are delivered to the transfer member 3G by the 5 picker rod 2i" is, ae pointed out above, carried by the vertically adjustable Support 128, Fine. and :L-lM and thi-i apport ia made with a depemling atom that ia slidably mounted in waye provided upon a bracket 234 that is part oi the trame et the machine, said brachet brina- 'fastened to erro i-bar 235 ot' eaid trame.

lltear its lower end the stem ol' eupport 2n haa connected to it one end ot a flexible cable 235 which entende upv `irdly therefrom and has` its: upper end 'fastened to a eheavc 23T :tai-a1 on a traneveree ahaft iournalled in bcaringa on the 'trame of the machine, l, ll. 20, and 24. (ln thie ab: tt is also lined a my rarciet wheel 2W) with 'which a detent 240 and pawl Ziel-l cooj'ierate. rlhe datent 24:0 and ratchet 23E) are within a bon-like bracket 242 that is supported by the cross-bar 235 torminej part oit the trame ot the machine and Iahaift @n the shatt 238 is loos-:ely 1 nivoted one end ot' an arm or linh 2414 whose pi if-tite end is; pivo'ially connect-ed by a pin with the pawl 2411. The pin 2115 also pivlv conecctfone end ot a link 241:5 to said il and arm 2-l-l, the opposite end oit i linlr being),` pi-.otally connected to one arm et a bell crank lever 2&7 lulcrumed on ll` i creas 'nar lil/lretcrred to above. The opp .te arm ot bell cranh 21:7 carine al cam ai', roll cooperating,` with a cam 248 iaat on the eliait't 1535, alan reiter-red to above.

lliuinn' the operation oit the machine the ram 245B actev through the conne ione de- Irilirwh and in cooperation with springr 2li-S,

20, to rc ,iijirocate the pawl 21:1, the tree In: V

end ot. the latter riveting upon and being graded by a pin or bai' hormally the 'pawl 2li is held by cam 2li-8 at the limit ot' l movei'nent toward the ri tchet wheel -1 during each rotation ot Said cam "l ia operated to rotate ratchet 2239 and )2E-,l in the direction ci the arrow to it ot one tooth ot' said ratchet, said i'novement boina' imparted to the ratchet and itt inf-t aa the 'picker bar 27 l`etarte from ,i lowerinoat position toward its upper poaition. llfach operation of the pawl 241 acte it, the ratchet wheel, shalt and cable i i r ii i the support 12% a Step that meaeui'ea about 'the Same as the thickness-i oit a blank. Thr-e the top el the stach oil blan n; c ic-"l by r-:upport ia maintained appronimately at a predetermined height, viz., at 'the pe ion occupied by the lower end ol pit-her rod 2T when the latter is at the limit o!" ita downwad movement.

llie datent 2th ia lined to a Short spindle l jonrnallcd in bearingg'e on the bora-like et 2-112 and *d spindle 251 also carries, l* "-12 a dogl 2K2 cooperating tl ie ritter at its tree end with a disc 253 loosely mounted on the shaft 238 immediately alongside the box-like bracket 2li-2. This disc 253 is formed upon its periphery with a notch 254 that is normally occupied by the tree end or nose of the dog 252.

inet outside ot' the diec 252:3 a segmental arm. 255 is provided that is lined to Shaft 238 and which cooperates with a laterally projecting lug 255 that is provided upon the outer tac-e et disc 253.

During the operation ot the machine the latter, aa a whole, passes through a major cycle involving' twenty operations of the molding mechanism and ot the above described feed mechanism, as well ae twenty step movemcn e of the shaft 23S and parte carried thereby, and twenty upward step movements ol' the blank support 1.28. y

de the pawl 2-11 completes its nineteenth ratchet engaging movement during each major cycle ot the machine as a whole, or in other worde, ae the ratchet Wheel 239 and arm complete their nineteenth step movement, the said arm 255 comes in to position against the lower eide ot the lug;` 256. Therefore, when the eaid ratchet and arm make their twentieth step movement the arm moves the lug` 255 and disc 253 with it to the extent ot one tooth o'l" ratchet 239. This rotative displacement ot the disc 253 cams the tree end ot the dog out ot the notch 254 thereby rocltinp,l the spindle 251 in a clockwiee direction, litio. 2li, and lifting detent 2110 out of engagement with ratchet 239. Ae the pawl 2-t1 starts upon its; next reciprocatory movement the blank support 128 falle by gravity to the limit ot its downward movement which ie determined by the engagement of the arm with the lun` 256 and the resulting engagement ot a Shoulder 257 on disc 253 with the end. oit dog' 252, the Shaft 238 to which the arm ie fastened beingat this time revereely rotated by the downward movement of support 128 acting' through cable 235 and Sheave 237.

Thus the major cycle of the machine as a whole involves twenty step movements ot Shaft in a contra-cloclzwiae direction followed by a quick return i'novement to its Starting position shown in Fig. 2a that is eil'ected at the very start of the next or tollovving major cycle ol the machine.

Immediately, at the etart of the major cycle ot the machine, and while the picker rod 27 is rieinp,r with the last blank taken from the support 128, a Step movement is automatically imparted to the turntable thereby bringing one ot the reserve stacks on said table into position directly above the upper end of the support 128.

The turntable ie thus rotated at the Start oit the maj or cycle of the machine by mechaniem including a cam 25S fast on shaft 186 which cooperates with a cam roll carried by therefrom around a sheave 261, Figs. 11, 22

and 23, and thence to one arm of a second bell crank lever 262 fulcrumed at 263 on the frame of the machine so as to swing on a vertical axis.

The other arm of this second bell crank 262 has connected to 1t one end of a link 26a and one end of a spring 265. The opposite end n .L1 of the spring 205 is connected wnn the frame of the machine while the opposite end of the v link 264 is connected with a pawl carrier 266 loosely mounted upon a sleeve 267 that is part of the hub of the turntable said sleeve being rotatably mounted upon vertically disposed round rod or bar 268 that is part of the frame of the machine. At its lower end the sleeve 267 has fast on it a ratchet wheel 269 engaged by a pawl 270 mounted on the pawl carrier 266.

Thesheave 261, Fig. 23, above referred to, is rotatably supported on a bracket 272 that is part of the frame of the machine and upon this bracket 272 is pivotally mounted at 273 a latch 274 normally held by a spring 277 in engagement with a stud 275 projecting from one side of the bell crank 259 so that the latter is held normally out of cooperative relationship with cam 258. The rear arm of the latch 274 carries a cam roll cooperatiiely I disposed with relation to an arm 276 projecting from the shaft 238.

lVhen the detent 240, Fig. 24, is disengaged from the ratchet 239 by he engagement of the disc 253 with dog 252, and blank support 128 falls as above described to its lowermost position and acts through the cable 236 to return shaft 238 to its starting position, the arm 27 6 on said shaft is swung in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 22 into engagement with the cam roll carried by latch 27 l so as to disengage sai latch from the stud 275 of bell crank 259 as shown in Fig. 23. The disengagement of the latch from the bell crank permits the spring 265, Fig. 11, to act through bell crank 262 and cable 260 to swing the cam roll of bell crank 259, Fig. 23, into position immediately in front of the throw of cam 258 as the latter approaches said cam roll. This movement of bell crank 262 acts through the link 264 to eect the recovery movement of pawl carrier 266 and pawl 270, and as the cam 258, Fig. 23, passes the cam roll of bell crank 259 it acts through the latter, cable 260, bell crank 262 and link 26st to swing the pawl carrier 266 and pawl 270 in a direct-ion to rotate the turntable one step in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 11. This is followed immediately by a step movement of ratchet 239 and shaft 238 with the result that the arm 276, Fig. 23, is moved away from the roll on latch 274 in the direcijsaaee tion of the arrow in said Fig. 23 so that the latch is moved upwardly by its spring into engagement with the stud 275 as the cam 258 passes the cam roll of bell crank 259.

In this way the table operating mechanism is automatically controlled so as to move the table 25 as described once at the start of each major cycle of the machine as a whole. Thus each major cycle of the machine starts with the arm 277 occupying the position illustrated in Fig. 23 and during said cycle said arm is moved intermittently twenty steps in the direction of the arrow and at the conclusion of these twenty steps it occupies the position shown in Fig. 22 at which time the disc 253 is operated to act through the devices described to free the ratchet 239 whereupon the fall of the blank support 128 returns the arm 276 by one quick movement in the direction of the arrow Fig. 22, to the position shown in Fig. 23.

The ejector member 4l() referred to above has its shaft or spindle 172 obliquely disposed as shown in Fig. 11 so that when it is swung inwardly at the start of the movement of transfer member toward the molding mechanism, its free end which is more or less sharpened comes to rest against the outer vertical face of the male mold member 90 directly below the inturned molded heel seat flange of the counter stiiiener that has just been completed. Therefore as the two slides 5a and 95, Fig. 8, are moved apart, one upwardly and the other downwardly, the molded stilfener adheres to the male mold member 90 and moves down with it until the sharpened end a of ejector lO comes into position between the heel seat flange and the male mold member 90. Thereafter the continued downward movement of the male mold member frees the molded stiifener from the latter leaving it hanging upon the sharpened end of the ejector 40. As soon as the molded stifener has thus been freed the ejector l() is snapped outwardly toward the side of the machine, out of the path of the approaching transfer member 30 and with suiiicient speed and force to throw the molded stiiener clear of the machine.

During the time that the ejector l0 rests against the outer face of the male mold member 90, and while the latter is descending, said male mold member is tilted outwardly by the cam roll as above described thereby disengaging and partly removing the molded stiflener from the female mold and insuring engagement therewith of the end of the ejector 40.

lhat l claim is:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with counter stiener-blank molding mechanism, of means for holding a supply of blanks in stacked relationship; a vertically movable picker member above said blank-holding means provided at its lower 

